Playlist: Listen, my friends! ~ May 2013
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In the words of Moby Grape… listen, my friends! Yes, it’s the (hopefully) monthly playlist presented by George’s Journal just for you good people.
There may be one or two classics to be found here dotted in among different tunes you’re unfamiliar with or have never heard before – or, of course, you may’ve heard them all before. All the same, why not sit back, listen away and enjoy…
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CLICK on the song titles to hear them
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Charles Trenet ~ Boum!1
The Animals ~ Boom Boom1
Ron Moody and Jack Wild ~ Reviewing The Situation (Reprise)2
Richie Havens ~ Freedom3
The Turtles ~ You Showed Me4
The Mash ~ Suicide Is Painless5
Mott The Hoople ~ Roll Away The Stone
Chairmen Of The Board ~ Give Me Just A Little More Time
Brian Eno ~ Another Green World6
Vangelis ~ L’Enfant7
Danny Wilson ~ Mary’s Prayer
Prefab Sprout ~ Goodbye Lucille #1 (Johnny Johnny)
World Party ~ Put The Message In The Box
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1 As featured in the record-breaking, 23rd and latest James Bond film Skyfall (2012)
2 From the multi-Oscar-winning movie version of Lionel Bart’s Dickens musical adaptation Oliver! (1968)
3 The notorious improvised performance of the spiritual song Motherless Child that became known as Freedom, with which Havens concluded his set that opened the Woodstock Festival on August 15 1969 (the set was three hours-long owing to a delay in many acts arriving at the venue); the great Richie Havens died on April 23 this year, aged 72
4 The original US #6 hit version of this coolly haunting tune originally written in ’64 by Jim McGuinn and Gene Clark of The Byrds, whose cover version by The Lightning Seeds reached the UK Top 10 in ’97
5 Eventually a UK #1 hit in 1980, this song was performed by session singers John and Tom Bahler, Ron Hicklin and Ian Freebairn-Smith (as ‘The Mash’) first for Robert Altman’s military satire blockbuster M*A*S*H (1970) and then for the hugely popular TV comedy of the same name (1972-83); its lyrics were written by Altman’s son Mike when just 14-years-old – Altman later maintained his son received a great deal more in royalties for the song than he did himself for directing the film
6 The memorable opening theme (over the image of a bottle with an illuminated ‘Arena’ inside floating on water towards the viewer) of the BBC2 arts documentary strand Arena (1975-present)
7 As featured in the Mel Gibson/ Sigourney Weaver-starring film The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982)
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George's Journal 
As ever a wonderful choice of music, but also dangerous, with so much good music to explore and an I-tunes account I could bankrupt myself…. Hmmmm do I need that Vangelis album in my life?
A question, what is the obsession with the baby elephant in world party’s video?
And an observation Ron Moody’s Fagin was Ron’s finest hour especially the way he delivers and acts the song ‘Reviewing the situation’ but I would nominate it as possibly the best performance in Musical cinema.
Thanks for the kind words as ever, Simon – must admit, putting together these playlists is something of a guilty pleasure. 😉
Ron Moody was, indeed, magnificent in a brilliant film, but then Shani Wallis, Oliver Reed and Jack Wild (Dodger) all shined too. Don’t think there can be much doubt that Moody’s Fagin was honed over years playing the role on the stage, rather like Rex Harrison’s Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.
And, thinking on it, the World Party tune comes from the album Goodbye Jumbo, I believe, whose artwork included an elephant and, if I remember correctly, the whole thing was ecologically concerned (thus its title), unfashionably so for the time. That may account for the elephant reference in the video. Actually, it’s worth googling Karl Wallinger; he’s had an interesting career and life to say the least…!
Cracked the baby elephant ref, the album is called Goodbye Jumbo.